Just A Childish Wish
by Wind Chijmes
Summary: (Angst/fluff/Tohru and co. prepares a special cake for Momiji) I watched FB episode 15 and cried like a tap >.


Just A Childish Wish

(~~ For Fruits Basket fans, especially Momiji-lovers ~~)

by Wind Chijmes

Pairings : None Rating : PG Warnings : Angst, fluff Disclaimer : Fruits Basket belongs to Natsuki Takaya, Hakusensha and associated affiliates. NOT ME. Please don't sue. Spoilers : MAJOR spoilers for episode 15 A/N : My first Fruits Basket fic, but that's not the point. Actually, I'm not even sure what the whole point of this fic is. I just watched Fruits Basket episode 15 and cried myself dry. Momiji's past is just so tragic! I cannot believe the idea of a child having to go through what he did, and staying cheerful while doing so! I wrote this to repair my psyche. (I apologise for the random Japanese terms. I don't usually do this but I thought they would fit into the context). I hope every Momiji-lover would like this. ***** : Flashback 

* * *

~ Teru, Teru, Momiji ~ 

Honda Tohru held up the result of her painstaking work in the kitchen. The whole day had spent on this and she treasured every second of it. 

Eyes sparkling, she gazed at the creation, marvelling it not so for the beauty of it, but for who the cake was made for. The pretty confectionery was shaped as best she could, into that of a bunny, complete with floppy ears and little bob-tail, topped with fluffy cream. 

Unconsciously, she began to sing under her breath, the touchingly simple, but sweet ditty Souma Momiji had taught her. 

"Yuhi you yamani   
Teru, teru, Momiji..." 

"That song *again*?!" 

Ha? That wasn't part of the lyr - Tohru started violently. "Ky - Kyo-kun!" she stammered, wheeling around to face the rankled ginger-haired youth. 

"Aa," Souma Kyo greeted curtly as he stepped into the kitchen. He ran a hand through his ginger mop of hair, his maroon-coloured eyes darting quickly to the cake on the table, then to Tohru. "Is - is that for the little brat?" 

"B - brat?" Tohru said dumbly, before brightening up almost instantly. "Momiji-kun is too cute to be a brat!" 

"Just a little too energetic at times, perhaps," a second voice floated in the air, followed by a third, mildly deeper one. 

"But still cute." 

Tohru beamed even more brightly. Just the people she wanted to see - besides Kyo-kun of course. She clasped her hands together as Souma Yuki and Souma Shigure entered the kitchen. Yuki had on his usual enigmatic half-smile, which amazingly, faded not a whit today even as his eyes met Kyo's maroon slits. 

"Ah, I see the cake is finished," Shigure commented cheerfully. 

"Yes!" Tohru exclaimed exuberantly. "I only have to do the wording and it'll be finished!" 

He flashed Tohru a victory sign, momentarily reminding her of fellow seventeen-year-olds at school. "Gambatte-ne, Tohru-kun!" 

"Better write the words before the brat comes around and eats it up!" Kyo pointed out. 

"Hai!" 

"Why does the brat need a cake anyway?!" 

"Would you just keep quiet and let Tohru work?" 

"Shut up! Who's talking to you?!" 

"I'm talking to you." 

"What the - " 

Tohru smiled to herself as she picked up the paper funnel. It'd been so long and still, Kyo and Yuki couldn't get along. However, in some place deep inside her, even their bickering was a comfort to her. For, to her, their verbal fights had gradually lost any real anger over time, even if the energy was still there. She positioned the funnel over the cake. Her ears picked up Shigure's patient voice nagging at Kyo and Yuki to quit fighting. She had gotten so used to these three guys, and it had been one of her greatest joys to bring whatever sunshine to their lives as she could. 

She pressed on the funnel. Maybe she could cheer up another someone. 

Bright pink cream oozed out of the funnel tip as she began to write. 

  
********** flashaback **********

  
~ And you kept on watching her ~ 

He lowered his head, golden curls feathering into his eyes so they couldn't be seen. He pointed a finger to the flooring, touching the tip to the surface. 

~ So she wouldn't see you ~ 

Tohru clenched the picture album, clutching wells into it. Her fists quivered. 

~ Even until today ~ 

The golden head lowered even deeper. The voice, high and sweet like a lark's, echoed in haunting pain. 

"I would rather live on, carrying the memory until the end."

  
*********** end flashback **********

  
Tohru's hands trembled. Feeling increasingly mortified, she tried to continue. She only had one more word to go! Too late, she heard the cacophony of voices around her suddenly coming to a stop.

"Honda-san...are you..."

Tohru quickly took a deep breath. She could do this. Turning around, she was at once besieged by three concerned faces hovering above her. "I'm fine! Really!" she carefully took the cake onto her hands and lifted it so they could all see it.

Yuki's face relaxed into a smile again. "It's very beautiful, Honda-san. Momiji would love it."

Even Kyo deigned to shoot her a wry glance.

"It looks unfinished," Shigure observed.

Tohru turned to look at the dark-haired man. He was wearing his usual flippant grin as usual, until his face grew just a little more serious and those dark eyes twinkled that she had the feeling he was silently supporting her.

"It is unfinished," Tohru smiled brightly. "Momiji-kun will finish it for me." 

  
********** flashback **********

  
~ Even if it's a sad memory ~ 

And Tohru couldn't keep back her tears any longer. They spilled down her cheeks even as she clutched onto the album as though her life depended on it. Momiji's mother...her own mother...both nothing more than memories now, but how precious they were... 

~ Even if it's a memory that only hurts me ~ 

She heard the strength in Momiji's voice even as it threatened to crack. 

He lifted his head and fixed the largest, warmest brown eyes she had ever seen, on her. 

~ Even if it's a memory that I would rather forget ~ 

"Himitsu da yo," he lifted a finger to his lips, a sad smile ghosting his face.

Because there were no memories they could both forget.

  
********** end flashback **********

  
"He doesn't want to come out!"

"Stop shouting at him."

"I did *not* shout! I was *asking*."

Shigure sighed in exaggerated exasperation. The second argument of the day. To his knowledge, Kyo and Yuki usually had up to ten verbal fights in one day. At this rate they were going, they would use up their daily quota in a blink.

And then there was Momiji. Out of the blue yesterday, Tohru had suddenly asked all three of them if she could have Momiji over for one day - just one day. He had agreed of course; he always had a soft spot for the little rabbit boy. Kyo nearly had cardiac arrest. Yuki had nodded his agreement, amiable as anything. Then, in her typical sweet, shy manner, Tohru had further asked if they could all chip to do something for Momiji. He had agreed again (of course!). This time, Kyo truly went purple and he had contemplated sending the neko youth to the hospital. And unruffled as usual, Yuki had nodded and said he would help with anything Tohru needed.

Tohru had looked so happy.

There and then, Shigure decided it was all worth it. For days after Tohru came back from work one day, she had been decidedly less cheerful than always. He had also caught her staring at her mother's picture every time she could afford the time to. The building Tohru had worked in was under Momiji's father. 

There lay the connection, but Shigure refused to comment on it, or think any more about it. Sometimes, it was better to leave things as they were. Change was constant, but memories always stayed the same.

Right now, they had a slightly different problem. Momiji had locked himself in the spare bedroom for the whole day and refused to come out. In his bell-like voice, he would chime out "Noo~o~o" every time Shigure patiently nagged him to come out. It was as though Momiji knew they were planning on some surprise for him, and he just wouldn't accept it.

"Gaki!" Kyo banged on the flimsy sliding door. "Get out now!"

"Noo~o~o..."

Shigure sighed again.

"Momiji-kun, please - "

"Noo~o~o..."

Kyo scowled darkly.

"Let me."

The three males turned their heads. Tohru had followed them up, cake in her hands, obviously having heard all the ruckus over Momiji's stubbornness. 

"Please hold this for me?" Tohru held out the cake, smiling as Yuki took it from her. She then turned to Kyo. "Kyo-kun, may I have the funnel?"

"Ah?" Kyo cocked his head quizzically for a moment, before turning red. "Oh, this thing," he took his hand away from his back and handed the paper funnel, complete with cream in it, to Tohru. To be honest, it did look a little squashed, but it was already a valiant effort on Kyo's part not to actually turn it into a sorry mash of paper and cream.

Tohru rapped gently on the screen. "Momiji-kun? It's me, Tohru."

"Tohru?" Momiji sounded tempted to appear now.

"We made a cake for you, Momiji-kun. Would you come out?"

"It's not my birthday," but now, Momiji sounded *really* tempted.

"We know," Tohru said earnestly. "But you're our guest. It's a special cake for the guest. A Wish Cake."

"A Wish Cake!"

With that last exclamation, the screen slid opened suddenly to reveal a boy, all fair hair, huge eyes and a grin that took up most of his face. He wore a bright pink outfit that oddly complemented his angelic demeanour.

"For me?" Momiji bounced up to Tohru and stared wide-eyed at the cake.

"Uhn!" Tohru laughed. "Made by all of us. Shigure-san found the special recipe, Kyo-kun went all the way to town to get the ingredients and Yuki-kun helped me bake it."

"A - arigatou!" Momiji said softly. "But it really isn't my birthday..."

"Gifts are not just for special occasions," Tohru smiled quietly as she bent a little so Momiji could get a look at his cake. "What's special is the person the gift is meant for."

Momiji's brown eyes grew even larger. His mouth opened as if he wanted to gasp something, but it closed again as he stared first Shigure...and slowly, his gaze focused on Kyo, then on Yuki. It was hard to tell what went on Momiji's mind, but his pink-tinged cheeks and suddenly glimmering eyes were telling a whole story on their own.

"H...hai..." Momiji beamed, ducking his head a little as he made out the details of his gift. "It's me!" 

Shigure smiled as he laid his head against one hand. Next to him, even Kyo was unusually silent as he watched the unfolding scene. The tenderness in Yuki's violet eyes shone - the final pronunciation of their participation in this strange, bittersweet, yet hopeful gathering of four Jyunishi and a girl. 

~ I want to keep it in my heart, as I live on believing ~ 

"Especially ~ " Momiji carefully enunciated as he read the wording on the cake. "~ for ~ Mo~mi~ji~" he laughed, a silvery sound. Then, he tilted his head as he noticed the blank space right below the cream letters spelling his name. "Should there be something here?"

"Ah!" Tohru snapped her fingers, remembering. She held up the funnel in the other hand. There was a mysterious smile on her face, though it was no less radiant as every other smile she usually had for them. "Write what you want, Momiji-kun."

"What I want?" Momiji took the funnel from her in wonder. "What I wish?"

Tohru nodded her head. "A wish on your Wish Cake." her eyes sparkled. 

~ But this is just...my childish wish ~ 

"A wish," Momiji repeated. This time, it was hard even for him to conceal the moisture welling up in his eyes. He looked up at Tohru, and it was as if a thread of understanding connected them both at that one moment.

"I have a wish for both of us." 

~ So it can be a precious memory ~ 

Momiji's hand tightened around the funnel, a single tear trailing down his cheek as he squeezed out the bright pink cream. 

~ I believe it ~ 

Quietly, Shigure motioned to Kyo and Yuki to follow him down. They obeyed wordlessly and the three of them headed for the stairs. On the top step, he turned and felt his own eyes stinging.

Spelled out on the cake, in childishly large scrawling, was the word 'Believe'. 

~ Some day, I may become myself who wouldn't lose those memories...I believe it ~

~*~ fin ~*~  
June 2003 

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I've only watched Fruits Basket up to episode 15, and I'm sure it shows in the writing. Also, I'm aware that the characters may be a tad OOC and admittedly, I've only baked a cake once in my life. As for the fangirl Japanese terms, I tried to use them to my best knowledge. For all of these and any other inaccuracy...gomen ne!


End file.
